* solution from SPSS's AnswerNet, * http://www.spss.com/tech/answer/result.cfm?tech_tan_id=100000493 . *Title: Error checking with syntax Description: *(Q) * I have had two operators enter the same data in two files. * How do I get SPSS to check the two files for discrepancies? *(A). * Assume 2 presumably identical files of N variables each. * Rename vars in 1 file and merge with 2nd file. do repeat v=var_1 to var_n /w=var_n+1 to var_n+n /e=err_1 to err_n. if (v ne w) e=1. end repeat. compute newvar=sum(err_1 to err_n). Select if (newvar>=1). * The resulting cases are problematic ones. Compare variable * information to original responses and correct your dataset. * If no cases result, data entry was consistent across operators. * Here is a syntax job that will illustrate: * This syntax creates the two example files. * DO NOT USE THIS PART IN YOUR SYNTAX. input program. loop. do repeat #r=var_1 to var_10. compute #r=trunc (uniform(5))+1. end repeat. end case. end loop. end file. end input program. exe. compute id=$casenum. save outfile = '@first@.sav'. exe. If (var_1=5) var_10=3. save outfile = '@second@.sav'. exe. * This syntax and all after you should use. * This syntax merges the files and renames variables. match files file=* /file='@first@.sav' /rename (var_1 to var_10 = var_11 to var_20) /by id. exe. * This syntax does the error checking. do repeat v=var_1 to var_10 /w=var_11 to var_20 /e=err_1 to err_10. if (v ne w) e=1. end repeat. exe. *This syntax creates a new file that has only ID * and the error variables. * Use this file to check your data for transcription errors. compute newvar=sum(err_1 to err_10). select if (newvar>=1). save outfile = '@third@.sav' /keep id err_1 to err_10. exe. get file '@third@.sav'. exe. * Created on: 10/22/2000 "